The beer and pub sector is urging the Prime Minister to reopen pub doors as soon as possible, with the call being led by the British Beer & Pub Association. The beer and pub sector has been one of the most adversely affected sectors by Covid-19 and the lockdowns. In 2020 alone, a combination of restrictions on trade and lockdowns saw sales of beer in pubs plummet by 56%, a … [Read more...]
Archives for February 2021
Hospitality suppliers face devastating closures and job losses without imminent support
The UK’s hospitality sector supply chain is facing devastation with 324,000 jobs at risk unless businesses receive immediate financial support from the Government, according to new research. UKHospitality’s Supplier Alliance research highlights the impact of the COVID crisis on the hospitality supply chain and the lack of financial support that has been received by … [Read more...]
Rishi meets Gordon, we consider other candidates
Rishi Sunak has launched a series of online meetings with industry leaders, the first of which with Gordon Ramsay. The meeting is quite enlightening, as it is choreographed to present both as ordinary blokes having a chat, when neither are anything of the sort. That said the meeting flows well and is engaging to viewers. The meeting can be watched in full below to formulate … [Read more...]
UKHospitality reacts to delay in business rates review
The government has today announced that the conclusion of HM Treasury’s Fundamental Review of Business Rates has been delayed to the Autumn. The delay hopefully is to fully develop a fair and cohesive solution to an issue that has been a rod on the back of all too many hospitality businesses. It is also and perhaps optimistically a signal that in the absence of a full … [Read more...]
Starmer’s plan positive for hospitality echoing direction of travel for Johnson
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer yesterday set out his plan of how Labour would seek to reconstruct the UK economy, helping it to build back prosperity post Covid. Hospitality will need to be at the forefront of rebuilding the UK economy, and as such the Labour leader’s plan does provide resources to help hospitality, if they ever come to fruition. Starmer is generally labelled … [Read more...]
Nicola doing a Boris: advising no Easter holidays in Scotland with summer depending on data
Boris Johnson’s language of late seems to be an exercise in managing expectations, and remarkably for once Nicola Sturgeon seems to be following his example. During the First Minister’s Covid update address to MSPs at Holyrood on Tuesday, she was candid in stressing it was "hard to overstate the necessity of being careful, cautious and gradual as we exit this … [Read more...]
The Clink Charity announces expansion of training scheme to an additional 70 prison kitchens
Over the next three years, Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) and The Clink charity have agreed to extend their training programme, currently already operating in HMPs High Down, Cardiff, Brixton and Styal, to offenders working in an additional 70 prison kitchens. Following successful pilots, training will continue at HMPs Bristol and Styal and from the … [Read more...]
3D steak looking and tasting better than the real thing coming to the UK
With the ‘alternative’ protein and meat market forecast to have a compound annual growth rate of 9.7 % between 2020 and 2025, steaks manufactured by 3D printers are looking ever more likely to appear on UK menus soon. Redefine Meat has recently received $29 million in funding to build a manufacturing and distribution plant in Israel, targeting not just their home … [Read more...]
Details of Boris Johnson’s roadmap and timetable emerge amidst intense lobbying
As the UK waits with bated breath to learn of the PM’s roadmap and timetable for reopening, there has been much speculation around the substance of it. Adding to that conjecture the pandemic environment has seen government on numerous occasions ‘leak’ information pre the official announcement of it. The tone of the PM recently certainly emphasises a cautious approach, … [Read more...]
Lord David Frost to join a cabinet still devoid of a Minister for Hospitality
Lord David Frost is set to join Boris Johnson’s cabinet next month to take charge of steering a new and positive post-Brexit relationship with the European Union. The unelected peer will replace Michael Gove as chair of the committee now implementing the post-Brexit withdrawal deal. Lord Frost was the lead Brexit negotiator and as such his new appointment does underline the … [Read more...]
Manchester Hoteliers Association champion adoption of Hoteliers’ Charter
The Hoteliers’ Charter designed to raise the profile of the hospitality industry and promote hospitality as a profession of choice for young people was launched yesterday. The charter has ten key commitments including: developing skills, creating a work-life balance, supporting industry charities, a commitment to the modern slavery act and a commitment to … [Read more...]
UKHospitality calls on sector to send message to Government ahead of Budget
UKHospitality, the UK’s leading trade body for hospitality, is calling on the sector to lend its support to a campaign to secure further vital support for businesses. Leaders from across the hospitality sector have joined forces to send a message to the Government ahead of next month’s Budget, the most important for the sector in living memory. In a series of testimonials … [Read more...]
The PM’s cautious reopening speech today signals hospitality low down his list
Boris Johnson knows all too well that his political career and legacy is on the line, and how that career develops will be judged by his actions next Monday, when he unveils his roadmap out of lockdown. Over the weekend, and again today when speaking from a mass vaccination centre the PM repeatedly used, caution, cautious and cautiously to underline the approach he clearly … [Read more...]
Green & Fortune launch St. Patrick’s Day @ Home range in support of two charities
Independent hospitality company, Green & Fortune has added a St. Patrick’s Day special to its Rotunda@Home delivery service. Sales from the boxes will include donations to two charities – The Clink Charity and The London Irish Centre. £10 of each sale will be donated to the two charities and for every box sold Green & Fortune will make an additional donation of £5, … [Read more...]
Deliveroo’s imminent delivery of floatation
Bringing in a big non-executive name and securing big brand investors is one sure sign that a company’s floatation is imminent. Next CEO, Simon Wolfson recently taking his first non-executive role at Deliveroo, and Amazon’s acquisition of 16% of their shares both point to widespread speculation around a floatation of the Deliveroo business as accurate. Almost as widespread as … [Read more...]